Discover Heath: Culture, Parks, and Canal History

Heath combines canal history, architecture, and culture with parks, trails, and recreational opportunities. As a travel destination, it offers a range of different interests: the original canal lock at Canal Lock Park, the Davis-Shai House, an Independence Day celebration, and outdoor activities. What matters for your plans is which of these aspects interests you most.

Canal History, Architecture, and Culture

Canal Lock Park is home to the original canal lock, where the first shovel was turned for the Ohio and Erie Canal. The lock and the groundbreaking connect a specific structure with the start of the canal project. Those interested in historic sites will find a clear connection to Heath's canal history here.

The Davis-Shai House was built in 1861 and designed in the Gothic Revival style. This gives it a different historical focus from Canal Lock Park: the emphasis is on a dated building and its architecture. The house also serves as a nonprofit center for arts and cultural events. It serves Heath, Newark, Granville, and the greater Columbus area. The Davis-Shai House thus brings together architectural history and culture, while the canal lock provides a link to the beginning of the canal project.

Events and Recreational Opportunities

Heath's Star Spangled Celebration is a longstanding Independence Day celebration at Geller Park. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the event dates in advance. This lets you factor in the specific date without treating the celebration as one of the year-round sites described here.

The Geller Park Pickleball Complex has twelve courts, shaded seating areas, and restrooms. The Heath City Water Park features a 5,500-square-foot splash pad with an interactive play feature, tipping buckets, water cannons, and Lemon Drops. The two facilities offer different kinds of recreation: pickleball on multiple courts and water play with specifically named features.

The details can also help you choose between these activities: the pickleball facility includes shaded seating areas and restrooms, while the Water Park centers on the splash pad and its play features. If you want to include either activity in your travel plans, you can start by choosing which one best suits your interests.

Trails and Landscape

John C. Geller Park has a two-mile walking trail. Hoback Park offers access to wooded areas for hiking and picnicking. These are two different ways to enjoy the outdoors: a walking trail of a specified length, or wooded areas for hiking and picnicking.

Heath's pedestrian and bicycle trail corridor includes an underpass for cyclists at State Route 79. It also includes a bike trail leading to Heath City Water Park. A specific underpass and a bike trail with a named destination are both part of the corridor—two useful reference points if you are interested in Heath's bike trails.

Dorsey Mill Park is the southern terminus of the Riverfront Walkway. Forry Preserve covers more than 200 acres. These details describe two different landscape features: a named endpoint on the Riverfront Walkway and the area of a preserve. This lets you choose between a specific trail connection and a large natural area, depending on your interests.

Discover more destinations: Pataskala, Granville, Hebron, Buckeye Lake.

For the main travel overview: Licking.